First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic and Governor of Ohio John Kasich discussed today in Columbus possibilities for the improvement of cooperation between Serbia and Ohio.

Dacic, on his five-day visit to the United States, recalled that, apart from Illinois, the greatest number of the Serbs live in Ohio, adding that it is estimated that approximately 50,000 Ohio citizens are of Serbian origin.

He stated that besides cooperation between the Serbian Army and the Ohio National Guard, and the Serbian Ministry of the Interior and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, cooperation between Serbia and Ohio should extend to other areas, too.

During today’s meeting with the Governor of Ohio, also attended by Governor’s advisories, possible cooperation in energy, agriculture and tourism was discussed, Dacic said.

According to him, an agreement was reached to engage Serbian and Ohio state authorities to suggest the best way to expand trade between the two states.

Dacic said that he met with the representatives of Serbian diaspora who live in Cleveland and discussed the areas in which Serbia can give them greater support.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that he also met with President of the Ohio State University, the biggest university in the USA, E. Gordon Gee and discussed possible cooperation between the Ohio State University and Serbian universities.